[Tarw]

I read a Chief Constable advocating this the other day. DNA samples taken with a national data base to be established.

His belief was that this would massively enhance law enforcement officers' ability to solve crime.

I'm a little uneasy about it but I would be prepared to sacrifice some of my DNA to the state if it would reduce crime and improve the quality of life for people.

Whatchathink - for or against, and why?

[Comrade Ogilvy]

Its the mark of the beast. Might as well implant homing devices at birth.

[Krasniy Yastreb]

As soon as you see a film like Gattaca you realise that anything like this is a very bad idea indeed...

[Tarw]

So having never seen Gattaca, I assume you are making, "it is the start of a slippery slope" argument - correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't buy that though.

All I am suggesting is DNA testing relating to criminal activity, nothing more.

[Krasniy Yastreb]

Slippery slope is the word, comrade.

The DVLA database was never intended for use by the police, but look at it now. In the same way DNA info could be used by insurance companies and employers to discriminate unfairly...

[Tarw]

Slippery slope is the word, comrade.

The DVLA database was never intended for use by the police, but look at it now. In the same way DNA info could be used by insurance companies and employers to discriminate unfairly...

Fair point - but DNA could be used to help detect and prevent crime too. Anyhow, couldn't we pass laws to prevent the abuses that you speak of.

Doesn't the merit of crime reduction appeal to you, if only in a small way?

[Krasniy Yastreb]

Aiming for absolute elimination of all crime will result in a police state. A DNA database like that would be helpful for catching the real criminals (Muggers, murderers, rapists, thieves etc.) but sooner or later laws will be passed whose sole purpose is to safeguard the government's hold on power (such laws are already in place in some cases).

Laws which many ordinary people refuse to recognise will land them in jail for acts which threatened nobody but the ruling elite. That is what I fear.

The same principle applies to national ID cards etc. In short, things like this could be so easily used by a crazy govt. as a tool to opress the people, while at the moment the judicial system and police conscientiousness(sp) prevent this.

[Tarw]

You and I have a very different view of Government and "The State". I'll get back to you when I've had time to think more carefully on the points you've raised.

In the meantime,

What laws already exist to secure the governments' hold on power? What laws are likely to be introduced to protect the ruling elite? You've gone a bit too fast for me here!

I agree with you BTW that there are many parallels between this and the ID card debate.

Yr Tarw.

[Nox]

I agree with you BTW that there are many parallels between this and the ID card debate.

Parallels yes ... but the DNA goes much further ... health, assumed predispositions for myriad real and imagine ailments et al.

This is a bad idea in totality being sold as a good idea for a specific.

Nox

[Comrade Ogilvy]

No, this is a very bad idea.

But hypothetically speaking: who's to say that any time you go to the doctor, give a pre employment urine test get a physical etc. that information or samples from that couldn't or hasn't been used to log your DNA?

I do not trust any government, police, or any other organization with that much information- unless it was collected at a crime scene to match with suspects DNA, I think that should be the only acceptable scenario. I don't believe it needs to go any further than that. I believe that to do this would open a whole "pandoras box" that could not be closed.
Wev'e screwed with mother nature and the natural order of things enough without this.

[Jesse]

I would agree with it entirely - as it would reduce the amount of innocents incarcerated in the justice system, and as I intend to not break the law, I only gain from this system.

Someone pointed out that this could be used as a tool to further certain corporate interests. Assuming the governement was responsible enough to not pander to corporate needs, this shouldn't become an issue.

[TUC]

Its a good idea but proned to be misused by some.....so I'd say do an electroferesis with the DNA (Make a DNA fingerprint) and save that, distroying the real DNA

[Adrien]

It's true, the real problem with ideas like these is not the idea in itself, but the way it will be used and, by whom. You said that the informations could be sent to corporations -and this is more than likely to happen- but if we push further, after a certain time serious gangsters would be able to bypass it.